Thanksgiving and the Return to the Front Range

This Thanksgiving Meg and I made a roadtrip out to Wisconsin with my parents, sister, and her husband to visit relatives in the land of beer, cheese, and brats. However this time it was the land of desserts! Thanksgiving and other Holidays are the time of year when I run less and eat more- especially regarding foods that I rarely enjoy during the rest of the year. Here's a small smattering of the guilty pleasures I indulged in that led to the gaining of a solid 5 lbs of muscle:

Multiple Dairy Queen Buster Bars, Mint Oreo Blizzard, Lots o' Pumpkin Pie, Lots o' Lemon Meringue Pie, Lots o' Apple Spice Cake, Multiple Manderfields Bakery of Appleton Persian Doughnuts, 1 Coca-Cola with REAL sugar- no HFCS for this guy! Multiple Taco Bell bean burritos that fueled the drive, my favorite post race breakfast meal- Biscuits and Gravy topped with 3 scrambled eggs and Cholula! The list goes on...needless to say fun was had by all!

When I wasn't eating I'd get out for 6-10 miles most days and explore some of the county parks that have great Nordic terrain once the snow accumulates. On Turkey day morn the Burch clan headed out for the local Turkey Trot in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Coming into the race I wanted to run hard and have fun, not knowing at which mile my fast twitch muscle fibers might kick in. It had been awhile since the turnover has been running around 6 min/mile pace.

I started out conservative clocking the first mile in 6:20. The body felt good and I didn't feel any lactate build up so I began to pick up the pace. Around mile 2 I slipped into 3rd on an icy patch but managed to stay upright. For the next 1.5 miles the course was blanketed by a cush 1'' layer of snow atop a bike path. I passed 2nd during a descent out of the park around mile 3. The last two miles I continued to increase the pace and finished 2nd in 30:32. First place ran a strong 29:43. For my effort I won a 20 lb turkey to assist with my tryptophan induced food coma that would occur later that day.

Back at the house I went online to see the official results. My timing chip failed me! There was no indication that I started, finished, or was even at the race! How I love technology! Overall it was a fun time. I may even run a handful of shorter road races for 2011...can't believe I just said that! Most things go full circle in life...

Speaking of which, Meg and I are returning to Fort Collins for 2011! After we returned from Wisconsin we blitzkrieged to find housing and we move in January 1. Meg will start a grad program and I will continue the quest to find sustainable income and a "career." I will miss the Drums, Callahans, and Parrs of the world and the frequent summits of Signal. Upon my return I will be doing some recon work on my runs to find a lesser Signal in Fort Collins. This will probably be some obscure high point on one of the foothills ridges since I will be starting from the doorstep with a 2.5 mile paved warmup before hitting the dirt. Also looking forward to reconnecting with the Clarks, Hansons, Godings, and Joneses of the world. Enjoy your holiday season and here's to 2011!

Ozark Trail 102...Consistent?

The legs met the brambles...pic taken after 3 days of healing!

Here's the short of it- 21:49:02, 4th. Solid 70 miles; slow 32 miles. Led for 73 of the first 74 miles.

Now the long of it- Overall a fun-filled road trip with my dad. We left for MO on Thursday and drove 825 miles to St. James. That night I put in my last run before the race- 4.2 miles on the hotel treadmill; felt good after 12+ hours of sitting. On Friday we did some recon work scouting out the various crew access points along the course. That afternoon we checked in at race headquarters and pitched the tent on the grounds of Bass River Resort. During the prerace meal I looked around and realized this had to be the first race in years where I did not know any of the runners or race staff...many of the inaugural finishers wished this years first timers "good luck" with a fair amount of sarcasm and chuckle in their voices. There were a number of stories of runners getting off course last year...just what I needed to hear after my experience in July. If there is anything I want from a race it is a well marked course.

Got into the sleeping bag around 8 PM. The overnight low was a brisk 20 degrees! Woke up at 3 AM promptly filled my bottle and grabbed a seat on the shuttle bus that would take us to the start. The bus got off course and we arrived at the start line 15 minutes before the 6 AM start. I got in the much needed "movement," shed my warm ups and got ready for the task at hand. Before the gun Ben Creehan introduced himself and I got a few more course related questions answered...the toughest part was to stay on track during the first 17. Two years ago there were 90 MPH winds that ripped through this section of forest. It basically looks like the area was bombed. The wind uprooted 100's of trees leaving behind root ball holes that were anywhere from 1-5 feet deep depending on the size of the tree. This area also had significant amounts of overgrowth due to an especially wet summer. Another race in the area earlier this year had to be rerouted because the overgrowth was impassable without brush cutters! We were told the area had been cleared...it had...and yet many "treats" awaited us. You gotta be tougher to run trails!

The other factor on this course was the LEAVES. I have never before run through so many millions of LEAVES! The trail was covered by 4+ inches of leaves. Since you couldn't see the trail floor each step had to be more conservative than usual. You didn't know if there was going to be roots, rocks, branches, small animals, or other obstacles to massage your feet and toes with each foot fall. After each foot plant I noticed I also had to lift my foot more than usual to clear any of the obstacles I couldn't see. This terrain shortened my stride and made it difficult to stride out and run confidently fast. Needless to say I hit the deck 3 or 4 times.

The race started in the predawn darkness and we began our trek on the Ozark Trail. I briefly chatted with Ben C and Kyle Gibbs in the opening mile. The pace was relaxed so I decided to take the lead. It felt awesome to run more than 6500 feet lower and breathe the thickly oxygenated air. This was the lowest race I have run- I think the high point was under 1500 ft. I got into a rhythm with the crunch crunch of every 2 dry leafed steps. It was neat to see how the trail resembled a dark corridor. Even though you couldn't see the trail it was visible to follow by the opening of the trees. After about 1:15 I turned off the headlamp. Soon after the leg shredding session with the infamous brambles began. My legs played a crucial role in clearing the trail for the runners behind me. By far it is the most cuts and scratches I've encountered on any stretch of trail or non-trail for that matter. At the Sutton Bluff Aid (17.6) Ben took the lead for the next mile as I took longer to fuel up.

I truly felt that this was the day I would run sub 20 or better for 100 miles. Legs felt great, breathing was relaxed- I believed it was coming together. Saw my dad for the first time at Brooks Creek (43.5) and motored on through. My 51 mile split at HWY DD was a comfortable 8:26. Things were going according to plan- I thought the CR of 18:38 was definitely within reach. At Martin Road (59.2) I was beginning to slow. No worries; still running solid. Coming into Hazel Creek (68.5) I continued the regression. Side note- this AS rocked! PoDog Vogler the AS Captain went above and beyond the call of duty. He ran a 1/2 mile back and asked me what I needed before I got into the AS. He took my instructions and empty bottle and sped back. I came into the AS with a full bottle awaiting and my fuel selection ready to go- thanks a ton! It was awesome! At this point I was sick of the sweet. Gels, Bloks, Coke, Cookies, I needed a reprieve. I turned a few heads as I put down a Miller Lite. Non-sweet, quick carbs, the change was great. I also got some beef jerky and soup before heading out.

A few miles later the headlamp came out. I was now running really slow but still running. My 70 mile curse was beginning to whisper in my ear. I had the feeling it was going to get ugly. Around mile 74 Ben C and pacer passed me up and looked strong- it looked like he could get the record. Coming into Machell Hollow AS (76.1) I was at 14 hours. Sub 20 was still more than possible...however the carnage hadn't begun. 26 miles to go...6 hours to do it...

By mile 81.5 (Berryman Campground AS) I knew there wasn't much run left in me. It was good to have the encouragement of my dad and AS people- I did my best to stay positive despite the fact the next 21 were going to be ultra slow! I fueled up on french toast, sparkling water and began the inevitable Death March.

At 88 (Billy's Branch AS) the temp began to drop into the mid 30's. Since I was hardly running it was tough to stay warm and I would "run" a bit to warm myself. At this station I stayed about 20 minutes to refuel and rewarm with grilled cheese, chicken noodle soup and hot chocolate. I needed to get my money's worth! Around mile 93 Kyle Gibbs and pacer passed me looking smooth. I somehow managed to "run" 88-95 in 1:30 and couldn't believe I had made it to the last AS at Henpeck Hollow so "quickly." 7 miles to go. One last pep talk from my crew of one. I was going to finish- I didn't drive 800+ miles for a DNF. My dad has also put in an A effort in crewing and race preparation for me...and there is honor in finishing...no matter the result.

The final 7 took me 2:13. Tommy Doias passed me around mile 96 running fast and strong as I hobbled along. I walked across the line in 21:49:02 and received my buckle from RD Paul Schoenlaub. Got it done. It was ugly.

Here's an organized visual of the destruction:

51- 8:26
76- 14:00
102- 21:49

1st 51- 8:26
2nd 51-13:23

What can I say? I am CONSISTENT! In the 5 100's I have finished I have gotten my butt kicked in the second half of every one of them! All 5 including my PR have had VERY lopsided halves. They show a tale of two races. This distance continues to befuddle me. All I can do is improve, that is the positive and I'm resilient to a thorough butt kicking- I have experienced the lowest of lows... and returned!

Towards the end of each year I get very ambitious for planning the upcoming race year. This year was no exception. Before MO I was toying with giving the Grand Slam a go for 2011. Nope. This grasshopper needs extra wisdom, experience, and training for the 100 milers. Humbled once again. Mentally it seems so easy to put 4 100 milers on the schedule. After I finish one reality comes crashing back and I realign my thinking. With that said I am looking forward to Western States and Leadville for 2011. If I mention anymore please give me a gentle slap and say, "Patience grasshopper!"

Finally, a look at how the podium runners improved from last years times. Great job guys, thanks for tips on the course! BTW I ran all 102 miles clean. No getting off course on this one!

1st- Ben Creehan 19:32 (22:59, 2nd in 09)
2nd- Kyle Gibbs 20:52 (24:12, 6th in 09)
3rd- Tommy Doias 21:03 (25:39, 8th in 09)

Of Famous Authors and Fictional Characters

As Pedatella aptly predicted I will be heading to Missouri for the Ozark Trail 100 on Nov. 6th. The race takes place in the Mark Twain National Forest and is a point to point run on the Ozark Trail featuring 12-15000 feet of climbing. In its inaugural year Jeff Browning took the crown in 18:38. My goal is to run sub 20 and anything faster will be extra gravy. 100's are still the mystery race for me...and it is a mystery I want to solve with each one I run. My PR for the distance at Leadville 09 of 20:51 encourages me that there are faster times to come. In less than two weeks I get to put myself to the test, this time with no pacers...

My dad and I are roadtripping to the race and he will captain the bare bones crew. It will be awesome to see him at various spots along the trail. This will be my first pacerless 100 and I'm looking forward to the added challenge to run Meltzer-style. With about 11 hours from sunrise to sunset this race will add a longer bout of night running compared to other 100's.

Since Steamboat I've had some solid training. I put a 22 day streak under my belt with 20 of those days being in the double digits (I'm not much of a streaker and this is a new record for me!) with a long run of 42 at the Grand Canyon R2R2R a few weeks ago. BTW...the Grand Canyon trip was a ton of fun! It was great to run with and spend some quality time with Doug, Duncan, Scott and our adventure seeking wives. It was a special night after the run eating food, drinking sparkling water, listening to Kir play the guitar and lounging around the campfire...This run also hit me with the realization of how small the Ultra community is as I ran into Eric Lee and JZ from the Fort Collins Trail Running Crew....small world! Clark, next time you'll have to make it happen!

This past week I also got signed up for Western States! I have officially entered and paid my $370. I guess it costs more to race in California...it is by far the most coin I've put down for a race...time to train hard and get my money's worth! Running the Ozark Trail 100 will be another race to build experience at this humbling distance. Each time I think about Missouri or read about the Mark Twain Nat'l Forest I daydream about the fictional characters of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn running the trails....until then...

The Staple- Statistics & Signal Peak: 100 Summits!!!

Pics from #100






The Staple- Statistics & Signal Peak: 100 Summits atop the Source @ 9042 feet

Signal Peak was my introduction to running when Meg and I moved to Gunnison in the middle of January this year. As I explored the trails above Western State College I noticed a pyramidal point looming to the Northeast. I followed the ridge by eyesight and knew I had to run it. After a few more runs in and around the area I asked DC about this point.

He grinned and said, “Oh yes, that is Signal Peak!” The point had a name and was a semi-regular run for DC in previous years. Soon after we began to run it with more and more frequency. It was the beginning of February and the route had been hardpacked by some sort of ATV that substantially assisted with obtaining some of the winter summits.

Our runs would start at 6 AM and we would ascend with the rising sun in subzero temperatures. On one of these dry and cold mornings we had been updating each other with the latest news from the ultrarunning blogosphere. We had both recently read about Tony K and his quest to run Green Mtn in Boulder 100 times in the first 100 days of 2010. This sparked some thinking of our own to piggyback off of the idea and create or own type of ascent goal in the Gunnison Country.

Being a Libra I have a natural tendency to gravitate towards balance and moderation in my life; I was also coming off a bout of achilles tendonitis- I knew I wouldn’t be running Signal Peak day after day. Besides, I had just moved to Gunni and had tons of new trails and terrain to explore. Parr also gave me a list of 60 or so named runs in the Gunnison valley that I had to begin to tick off with him and other Gunni runners.

After more discussion DC and I set the goal of running Signal Peak at least 100 times in 2010. Two weeks ago DC notched his 100th summit to become the first person in the history of Gunnison County to run 100 Signals in a calendar year. The following is a compilation of the NUMBERS that have accumulated during my 100 summits which I completed on October 19th, 2010 to coincide with DC’s 28th B-Day. Happy Birthday Duncan; here’s to 200 in 2011...

Summits: 100 in 38 weeks = 2.6 summits a week

Miles: 1,195.7 = 11.957 miles per summit run

Vertical: 150,000 feet

Most summits in 1 week: 6 (twice) 9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82, 9/27 thru 10/3, #’s 86-91

Most consecutive summits: 8 4/2 thru 4/9, #’s 20-27

Most Signal miles in 1 week: 82.7 9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82

Shortest summit: 9.6 miles (multiple times)

Longest summit: 20 miles, 5/8, #39

Earliest Summit: 5:40 AM (multiple times due to 4:45 AM start time :)

Latest Summit: 8:50 PM, 5/29, #47

Yearly Progress:

#1- 2/5
#11- 2/25 SNOWSHOE SUMMIT
#25- 4/7
#50- 6/3
#75- 9/2
#92- 10/5 MY B-DAY
#100- 10/19 DC B-DAY

Monthly Summits:

Jan- 0
Feb- 11 #’s 1-11
Mar- 8 #’s 12-19
Apr- 15 #’s 20-34
May- 13 #’s 35-47
Jun- 14 #’s 48-61
Jul- 8 #’s 62-69
Aug- 5 #’s 70-74
Sep- 15 #’s 75-89
Oct- 11 #’s 90-100 (thru 10/19)

5 or more summits in 1 week:

2/15 thru 2/21, #’s 6-10 = 5
3/29 thru 4/4, #’s 18-22 = 5
4/5 thru 4/11, #’s 23-27 = 5
5/3 thru 5/9, #’s 35-39 = 5
9/6 thru 9/12, #’s 77-82 = 6
9/27 thru 10/3, #’s 86-91 = 6
10/4 thru 10/10, #’s 92-96 = 5

0 summit weeks :(

3/8 thru 3/14, Excuse: too much snow didn’t want to deal!
7/26 thru 8/1, Excuse: GM 100 Recovery
8/2 thru 8/8, Excuse: Left knee issues
8/16 thru 8/22, Excuse: Left knee issues
9/20 thru 9/26, Excuse: Easy week after Steamboat 50

Runners I’ve peaked with: (from most summit trips to least)

Duncan Callahan
Scott Drum
Tim Parr
Ben Dunn

Current counts: (As a group of 4 our goal is to hit 365 summits for 2010)

DC- 105
Burch- 100
Parr- 44
Drum- 24
Total: 273

In summation: Signal Peak represents consistency, strength, perseverance, and a yearly commitment to experience the Peak in all conditions throughout the 4 seasons the Gunnison Country will bring. Annual training goals assist in motivation through the tough training during the winter months.

With each day and each summit Signal is quietly gaining cult status here in Gunnison amongst other runners and athletes. If you come to town it is a must run...it should be your first! Rural legend has it that a WATCHMAN now observes all atop Signal Peak. Introduce yourself; the trip could blow your mind..........................................................

Tis Grand!

Quick update...6 hours until the Grand Canyon R2R2R road trip begins! Can't wait to soak in some AZ sun with friends and family and then catch some inspiring views as we dip below the rim. This will be the second R2R2R trip for me- the first came in 2006 when Doug and I were ultra rookies and living the bachelor life as roommates. Now we've got some ultra experience and both married...how time flies! This year it will be the Callahan, Drum, Newton, and Burch families making the voyage with a possible Parr sighting sometime during the weekend. More to come upon return. Also, I am keeping the 2010 race season alive! I just registered for another 100 Miler! And lastly, the 100 Signal Summits for 2010 is just around the corner! What an epic year with more to come! I can't believe my morning runs have already dipped into the mid 20's! (and still rockin' the shorts!) Old Man Winter has begun to bring his cold to Gunnison!

Steamboat 50: Fast Enough...

As the title implies my run at the 4th Annual Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50 was just that- fast enough. Going into the race I did not set a time goal because of the knee issue and lack of usual training going into the race. The goal was to try and nab one of the spots to run at Western States next year. Goal accomplished!

Friday morning before the race I did an easy 3 mile shakeout jog. My knee hurt. It hurt more on this simple run than all of my previous runs in the last 10 days! Needless to say I was a bit worried wondering how Saturday might pan out. Not much confidence going into the race. Here's the kicker- the knee was not an issue! Sometimes I do not understand how the body can suddenly turn 180 and give me something to work with come race day. 50 miles...running...no knee problems...I said RUNNING 50 MILES!...I don't get it but am thankful for it.

The race started out very quietly. A group of five separated from the rest of the pack on the initial 10K 3500 ft. climb to the top of the ski hill. Myself, Roes, Fanselow, Bowman, and Jeremy Duncan quietly climbed. It seemed way too serious for me so I broke the ice... can't remember what I said to who but everyone began to chat with each other. At first we were all individuals working on our own power up the hill. Once the talk began it seemed like we moved as a team and it made the climb much more fun and enjoyable. All of a sudden we were at the top.

Roes and I went quickly through the aid station and hit the downhill singletrack. I hadn't felt the knee so I gave it its first test of the day. I bombed past Roes (did I just say that! :) around 6.5 miles and ran free for the first time since 07/04/2010. It felt great to open it up on the winding rocky ribbon of trail. This is one of my favorite feelings while running: effortless and fast through beautiful terrain.

I held the lead until shortly after the AS at mile 22. This is where my lack of usual training just decided to smack me in the face. At mile 22 you begin a 3 mile climb to the base of the Rabbit Ears and then make the turn back home. Within 1/2 mile of this climb my legs went to LEAD! Roes stayed consistent and gapped me by about 20 seconds. Shortly thereafter Fanselow effortlessly slid by. I continued my uphill march and hit the turnaround shockingly 1 minute faster than last years effort.
From mile 22-50 I was one gear McGee. No power. No explosiveness. No surges. Plain old one gear McGee. I kept wondering how many people were going to float by me during the second half. The legs were LEAD. I only had hope that I was moving fast enough. At 37 I was 6 minutes off my split from the previous year. Apparently Roes had only a 30 second cushion on Fanselow at this point...and then opened it up to put about 9 minutes on him in the final 13...crazy! At 44 I was 9 minutes off last year. With 6 to go it was Western States or bust... I chose to run the final miles smooth. I had no intention of aggravating the knee unless I absolutely had to. The strategy was simple: run it smooth, after each switchback look uphill for other runners, repeat, run like hell if you get a visual! To amuse myself I would throw up the "west coast" hand signal Tupac Shakur style as a reminder of what I was running for. For some reason this cracked me up numerous times...I almost "threw it up" as I crossed the finishline...but no one there would have understood my inside joke....I may have forgot to mention...the bulk of my youth was spent growing up in Greeley...thus the wide spectrum of music I have listened to.

Fred Abramowitz and the race committee do a wonderful job with this race! It is rare to find an RD who goes above and beyond to keep the race winners returning each year. A comped entry and 2 night stay in a ResortQuest condo is huge! I am truly grateful. Just another perk to run hard...Geoff, you are in for a treat, congrats out there on a day when you weren't 100%

Congrats to the Professor, Scott Drum! Scott did amazing at his first 50 at age 40. 6th overall...sub 8:15 AWESOME! He's got the ULTRA itch now!

The postrace was another treat. So good to refuel and meet a ton of wonderful people! Awesome to see the support of Jenna's family and friends who are such a huge part of this race. Her legacy continues through the lives she has touched!

Finally, a few random tidbits...

I love the polarity of caloric consumption pre and post race. Pre Race: 1 banana, 1 granola bar. During race: 5 gels, 2-4 cups of coke at most AS. Post race: 10 pieces of pizza, 2 beers, 2 cans carbonated water, 1 liter iced tea, 1 odwalla, 1 cookie...

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when...the condo you stay in for the race has more square footage than your current residence.

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when... breakfast, lunch, and dinner is what you consume at Aid stations and the post race party.

You know you are a dirtbag UltraRunner when...you are finishing this post outside of the public library after it has closed because you can still get the signal.

Rockin' Da 'Boat!!!

The Run Rabbit Run Steamboat 50 is this Saturday! It should be a good one- I'll give it what I got. The knee is at 85% and holding-good enough to race on. I'm testing out the Burch 3 week training plan on this one. The 5 weeks after GM were 4,18,0,19, and 31 miles...just trying to run somewhat pain free. The last two have been 68 and 82 leaving this week to add a few miles before the race.

Last weekend I able to check off Kit Carson and Challenger Pt #'s 44-45 on my 14ers list with the Professor (Scott Drum). It was a solid 14 mile 5 hr outing with over 6000 ft of climbing in the first 8 miles. The last two miles to the summit were at a 27% grade! Needless to say it was a run/hike workout consisting of 10 miles running and 4 hiking/scrambling to the summits. Another beautiful day in the CO Mtns.

This past weekend I was able to get in a 15 and 17 miler on different routes up Signal Peak bringing my total to 82 for the year...18 minimum to go! The 17 miler was the longest run since GM 100.

What does all this mean? And I'm optimistic :)

* I will not be overtrained come race day
* I will be pulling out the Experience and Defending Champ from my deck of cards
* After seeing Scott Jaime's blog a few weeks ago I decided to grow out the beard- 6.5 weeks growth should equal at least 13 minutes faster than last year.
* I'm predicting Roes for the W at 6:57!
* It will be a battle for the remaining auto entry into States! ...I really hope the knee lets me run free...!

Finally, look out for the Professor as he makes his 50 mile debut at 40 years young. He should be in the mix with Fanselow and Belshaw for the Masters Title!
It will be fun

PS Finally, Remember Jenna Gruben-Morrill this day as she was the Heart and Soul of RRR coordinating volunteers and so much more! Take a moment to reflect before your runs/races on Saturday to send out some positive energy to Jenna, those close to her, and the people that are close to your life. See you in da Boat!